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Historic Jails,
Mines and Railroads 

HISTORIC JAILS

• Historic Jails Study Project - Find out where they are and who slept there! Old historic jails of New Mexico and also around the United States. Old Jail site in Historic Cimmaron, NM.
• Old Stone Jail - Used in the 1800s. Located in Bernalillo, NM, behind the Sandoval County Courthouse.
• St. James Hotel - Henri Lambert, personal chef to President Abraham Lincoln, established the saloon in 1872; by 1880 it had evolved into the St. James Hotel. For those inclined to the paranormal, the hotel has a long history, even right up to the present, of reported ghosts and supernatural happenings. In spite of an occasional friendly visitation, the list grows longer every day of happy, relaxed and rested folks who will testify to the charm and hospitality of this way station in the Rockies. Cimmaron, NM (505) 376-2664 or (866) 472-5019
• Know of any historic jails that could be added to this list? Please click here to contact the web manager. Thanks!

HISTORIC MINES

Many of the following sites are also found in New Mexico ghost towns. The reason ghost towns came into existence was because when the the gold, silver, copper, or whatever, was mined out to exhaustion, everyone left the little town that was started because of the mining opportunities!!

• The Catwalk National Scenic Trail - Located in Whitewater Canyon, this 1.1 mile trail depicts the mining industry of the 1800s, and is considered an engineering feat that would not be attempted today. Hiking, picnicking and some great trout fishing above the catwalk in Whitewater Creek. Open daily 8am-5:30pm. Glenwood, NM (505) 539-2481
• Ghost Towns of New Mexico - our very own REDTT page about the mining (ghost) towns of New Mexico. We have 59 ghost towns / mines!!
• Sugarite Canyon State Park - Former coal mining camp has rock-climbing, two lakes, water sports, camping, hiking, cross-country skiing. Visitor center. Located 8 miles NE Of Raton, NM via NM Hwy 526 (505) 445-5607
• Old Coal Mine Museum - a revitalized old coal mining town from the civil war & building the Santa Fe Railroad eras. Now with artists, jazz & bluegrass concerts, coal mining & antiques museums and adventure. Located in north central NM not too far from Rio Rancho in Madrid, NM Museum contact (505) 473-0743
• Waldo Mine - Twice a year you can take a wonderful tour of this still active mine. Contact New Mexico Tech in Socorro at (800) 428-tech. The mine is located near Magdalena, NM.
• Kelly Mine - Once a booming town, the mines produced zinc carbonate called smithsonite. By 1931 the smithsonite deposits were exhausted. Gradually, mining throughout the district began to decrease, allowing Kelly to die. Today some mining is still being done near Kelly, but the prosperous camp that once had a population of three thousand no longer claims any residents. The only intact building is the white-stucco-front Catholic Church, where mass is still offered once a year. Adobe and rock ruins dot both sides of the dirt road beyond the church. Extensive mine workings, tailing dumps, old mine buildings, and headframes stand rusted and neglected farther up Kelly Canyon. Facing the church on the hillside is Kelly's cemetery. Near Magdalena, NM (505) 854-2261
• Raton Museum - mining, railroad and ranching artifacts. Raton, NM (505) 445-8979
• Black Range Museum - This privately owned history museum features mining artifacts of the gold mining era from 1875-1900. The building was originally the Ocean Grove Hotel, owned by Madame Sadie Orchard, and later the Chinaman's Cafe. Open 11am to 4pm, Thursday through Saturday and 1 to 5pm on Sunday. Hillsboro, NM (505) 895-5233
• Silver City Museum - The museum is housed in the restored 1881 Mansard/Italianate H.B. Ailman House, with a modern collections care wing and changing exhibits gallery. Mining exhibits, regional history, Indian artifacts. Located at 312 West Broadway, Silver City, NM (505) 538-5921
• Pinos Altos Museum & Mining Town - Log cabin built in the 1860s, has a great collection of 19th century artifacts. Historic mining town with historic buildings, gift shops and an old fort. Located just NE of Silver City on NM15, Pinos Altos, NM (505) 388-1882
• New Mexico Museum of Mining - The history of uranium and other geological exhibits. Also, Indian artifacts from the area. Located in Grants, NM (800) 748-2142

HISTORIC RAILROADS (and some not so historic!)

• Ancho Museum "My House of Old Things" - Come and see a display of railroad memorabilia and other historical artifacts. Carrizozo, NM (505) 648-2456
• The Belen Harvey House and Museum - Learn about Fred Harvey and his Harvey Girls while history comes alive in this fabulous place. Fred Harvey, known as the man who started fast food restaurants, knew that people traveling on trains in the old west would enjoy eating and sleeping in style. That's how the Harvey House began. Learn about the Santa Fe railway and the history of Valencia County. 104 N. 1st Street (at the railway tracks) Belen, NM (505) 861-0581
• The Bridges of Abo Canyon, NM - Located east of Belen, NM, this site is a great guide for anyone who likes to photograph trains. Abo Canyon is perhaps the busiest section of single trackage in the entire state of New Mexico. Location maps and hints for having a good trip.
• Cloud Climbing Rail Trail - "Linking the past to our future," this historic park has easy to hard level hiking, biking & cross-country skiing trails. Enjoy the beautiful Sacramento Mountains and observe the historic remains of the "Cloud Climbing Railway." Learn more about the New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association. Cloudcroft, NM
• Clovis Depot Model Train Museum - Railroad history exhibits and model railroad history exhibits. Clovis, NM (505) 762-0066
• Columbus Historical Museum - An old Southern Pacific Railroad depot that now houses local history exhibits and information about the Pancho Villa raid on the U.S. Nearby, Pancho Villa State Park is the site of the raid on U.S. by Pancho Villa and his army in 1916. Desert gardens, visitor center & campsites . Museum is outside of Deming in Columbus, NM (505) 531-2620
• Cumbres Toltec Scenic Railroad - Take a ride into the past on this registered National Historic site. Travel from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO on a real steam engine train, going through the famous Cumbras Pass. A beautiful ride the whole family will enjoy. Visit museums on both ends. Other web sites worth checking: Chamber of Commerce / Other steam locomotives & RR. Chama, NM (505) 756-2151 or (888) 286-2737
• Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Steam Railroad - Not in New Mexico but Colorado is not too far away! Click here for the current schedule of events, reservations, photos and more. Voted the "Top 10 Most Exciting Train Journeys in the World".............the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad winds through the spectacular and breath taking canyons of remote wilderness in the two-million acre San Juan National Forest. An unforgettable year round adventure." Quote from D&SNRR website
• Mesilla Valley Model Railroad Club - Put on your engineer's cap and click here. "Our objective is to build and maintain a model scale layout conforming, as closely as possible, to all applicable National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) standards and recommended practices for the most realistic enjoyment for all." Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, west of Las Cruces, NM
• Moriarty Historical Society Museum - Learn about a typical homesteading/railroad town in the early century and how it developed throughout time. Call for information. Moriarty, NM (505) 832-4087
• National Rocky Mountain Narrow Gauge Museum - Learn about the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. Chama, NM (505) 756-1850
• Raton Museum - Located in the historic Coors building, learn about the local history including mining, railroad life and ranching artifacts. Raton, NM (505) 445-8979
• Rex Museum - Learn about the history of railroad and mining in the Gallup area through the exhibits displayed in this museum. Gallup, NM (505) 863-1363
• Sacramento Mountains Historical Society Museum - Railroad & pioneer artifacts housed in a restored log cabin. Cloudcroft, NM (505) 682-2932
• "Santa Fe RR Surviving Depots of New Mexico" - Find out where 44 RR depots are located that served NM in the past! Locations, comments, descriptions and current use are listed. Some have really nice pictures: Fort Sumner / Mountainair. Related web sites: The Santa Fe RR Surviving Water Facilities - 21 locations of surviving water service facilities once used to water AT&SF steam locomotives. There are some really nice picturesof tanks and water treatment facilities! and the SFRR "Subjects" Home Page - more information and pictures about related historical subjects about the SFRR.
• Santa Fe Southern Railway - Scenic day trips, special dinner trains, lots of events including "Mystery Dinner" train rides, music and holiday events! Experience this 120 year old spur line from Santa Fe to Lamy, NM. Santa Fe, NM 1-888-989-8600
• Southern Pacific Transportation Company - Listings of depots and stations in New Mexico as well as other states. This site appears to be in the "constuction stage" and has locations listed with some pictures. It should be informative when done.
• Toy Train Depot - a model train extravaganza!! More than 1,200 feet of model RR track and so much more! Train rides, too! Open Wednesday thru Sundays & Holidays, Noon - 5pm; Train Fare: Adults $2, Children $1.50; Trains run every 30 minutes - 12:30 - 4:30pm; Model Train Display: Adults $2, Children $1.50; 1,200+ feet of model RR track & 100's of trains! Alamogordo, NM (505) 437-2855
• Wheels Museum - Historic buildings of the Santa Fe Railroad. "Dating from the very early 1900s through 1921, the buildings tell the story of the growth and evolution of the Santa Fe Railway. It was in these shops that the monstrous steam engines were overhauled and repaired."* Located in Albuquerque, NM (505) 243-6269 *Quote from WM web site.

• The Wheels Museum Photo Gallery - Photo archive of railroad maintenance & other structures through out New Mexico. Some are still standing today and others are just a memory (in this case, just a picture).

• Zuni Mountain Railroad Tour - Self-guided tour of the area. Start at the Chamber of Commerce on Santa Fe Street, get your map, stop and visit the Mineral Museum and go! Grants, NM (505) 287-8833

RELATED RR SITES

Not necessarily about New Mexico, but if you like the rail road scene,
this might give you some more places to learn about them.

• rrhistorical.com
• Ribbon Rail Productions from Bolingbrook, IL - many RR sites attached to this resource
• Train Web - railroad web sites galore!!!
• The Rock site of railroads & depots and other related items